Handle operated latch for receptacles



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W. H. CADWELL HANDLE OPERATED LATCH FOR RECEP'IACLES Filed May 26, 1945 June 7, w49.

Patented June 7, 1949 HANDLE OPERATED LATCH FOR RECEPTACLES Wallace H. Cadwell, New Carlisle, Ohio Application May 26, 1945, Serial No. 596,011

3 Claims.

This invention relates to latch mechanisms, and particularly to latch mechanisms for locking hinged cover members upon a body member, such as a lid upon a. box.

An object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism that is operably connected with a handle for opening the lid of a container so that immediately upon picking up the handle to carry the container, the lid of the container will automatically be locked in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the latch mechanism has one position in which it is rendered ineffective for locking a lid upon a container, but immediately upon grasping the handle of the container, the latch mechanism is rendered active and locks the lid of the container in closed position. Another object of the invention is to provide a container having a lid thereon that is provided with a latch mechanism carried on the lid of the container and is actuated by a carrying handle supported upon the lid of the container so that movement of the carrying handle into position for carrying the container automatically locks the latch mechanism for holding the lid of the container in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the latch mechanism has an inoperative position to permit the lid of the containel1 to be opened and closed without actuating the latch mechanism, but which is immediately moved out of the inactive position -to an active position for locking the lid of the container immediately upon movement of the carrying handle for the container into a carrying position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatically locking latch mechanism for a container that is operated by a carrying handle on the container so that the latch mechanism will be locked immediately upon any action tending to lift the container by the carrying handle thereof, and thereby prevent the contents of the container from spilling therefrom.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the drawings and the following description.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of a container having the latch mechanism of this invention applied thereon, a part'of the container being broken away and in cross-section to show the latch mechanism, and which also shows the latch mechanism in its active locking position.

Figure 2 is a perspective elevational View of a portion of the container and of the latch mecha- -nism illustrated in Figure -1/ but showing the latch mechanism in an inactive position.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the container showing the latch mechanism mounted upon the lid of the container.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1.

The latch mechanism of this invention is illustrated as being applied upon a container that consists of a lower pan-shaped portion I0 and a cover or lid portion I I that is hinged to the lower portion II) by vmeans of one or more hinges l2. The front Wall I3 of the lower pan-Shaped portion I0 is provided with a latch-receiving member I4 that has a hole I5 therein which cooperates with the latch hereinafter disclosed and described.

The cover portion II of the container is provided with a carrying handle I6 that is rotatably carried by a bracket member II positioned at each end of the housing I8 that covers the opening I9 provided in the top cover II. The carrying handle I6 is thus rotatably supported in the bracket members II so that the handle can be disposed in a horizontal position as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 or in a vertical position as illustrated in Figure 1. The carrying handle I6 is provided with an actuating member 25B that extends from the handle I6 and is normal thereto. This actuating member 2D operates the latch mechanism for locking and unlocking the same.

The latch member consists of a rod 2l that is rotatably carried in the brackets 22 secured to the underside of the lid I I. The rod 2I is bent at one end thereof to provide a downwardly extending portion 23 that is at right angles to the rod portion 2l. The lower end of the rod portion 23 is bent at right angles to the portion 23 to form a locking or latch member 24 that is adapted to enter the hole I5 in the latch-receiving member I I and enters a hole 25 provided in the latchreceiving member 26 that is mounted along the lower edge of the front wall 27 of the cover Il. It will therefore be seen that axial rotation of the rod portion 2| in the brackets 22 will cause the lock or latch portion 24 to enter the latchreceiving members I4 and 26, as illustrated in Figure 4, or be removed therefrom, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The latch rod 2l carries an extending arm it that is suitably secured to the rod 2l, and is substantially radial thereto. This extending arm 3U is engaged by one end of a torsion spring 3i that has the opposite end thereof engaging the under side of the top wall of the cover l, whereby the torsion spring 3| normally urges the arm 30 in a clockwise` direction of rotation, as viewed in Figure 1.

The torsion spring 3| holds the arm 3l! against the actuating member 20 so that the position of the actuating member 2U determines whether the latch portion 24 is in engagement with or out of engagement with the latch or lock receiving members I4 and 26.

With the carrying handle I6 in horizontal position, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the actuating member 20 will be in an upward position so that the torsion spring 3| will hold the arm 30 against the actuating member 20 and the lock portion 24 of the latch rod' 2| will be disengaged from the holes I and 25 in the latchreceiving members I4 and 26, respectively, thereby retaining the lock portion 24 in an unlocked position so that the lid II ofthe container can be opened and closed without causing actuation of the latching device. \A suitable handle 35 is provided for raising and lowering the lid II when the carrying handle IS is in horizontal or inactive position.

When the lid II of the container is closed upon the lower portion I3 and a person wishes to pick up the container by the carrying handle I6,

the latch mechanism will be automatically actuated to lock the lid II to the lower portion I3 of the container. This is accomplished because when the actuating handle is grasped by a person picking up the container by the carrying handle thereof, the carrying handle will be rotated axially within the bracket member II thereby? causing the actuator to move the arm 30 downwardly in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed A...

It will therefore be seen that a person wishing y to carry the container having the latch of this invention thereon cannot forget to lock the lid to the main body of the container and thus spill the contents thereof because the carrying handle I6 automatically locks the lid to the main body portion of the container before the weight of the container is supported upon the carrying handle. Also, it will be seen that when the carrying handle I6 is placed in a horizontal position, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the lid of the container can be raised and lowered without causing actuation of the latching or locking mechanism.

While the apparatus disclosed and described herein constitutes a preferredform of the invention, yet it Will be understood that the device is capable of mechanical alteration Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that al1 modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a container, a lid hinged on said container, locking means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for rotatively supporting said locking means on said lid, a lock-receiving member carried on said container for receiving said locking means, spring means engaging said locking means normally urging the same out of locking engagement with said lock-receiving member, handle means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for supporting the shaft of said handle means for rotation in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of rotation of said locking means, and actuating means extending between the shaft on the handle means and the shaft on the locking means for rotating said locking means into locking engagement with said lock-receiving member upon rotation of said handle means into carrying position.

2. In combination, a container, a lid hinged on said container, locking means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for rotatively supporting said locking means on said lid, a lock-receiving member carried on said container for receiving said locking means, spring means engaging said locking means normally urging the same out of locking engagement with said lock-receiving member, handle means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for supporting the shaft of said handle means for rotation in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of rotation of said locking means, and actuating means eX- tending between the shaft on the handle means and the shaft on the locking means for rotating said locking means into locking engagement with said lock-receiving member upon rotation of said handle means into carrying position, said actuating means including an actuating member extending from the shaft on the handle means and an arm mounted on the shaft on the locking means, said spring holding said arm against said actuating member.

3. In combination, a container, Ia lid hinged on said container, locking means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for rotatively supporting said locking means on said lid, a lock-receiving member carried on said container for receiving said locking means, spring means engaging said locking means normally urging the same out of locking engagement with said lock-receiving member, handle means including a shaft, bearings on said lid for supporting the shaft of said handle means for rotation in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of rotation of said locking means, and actuating means extending between the shaft on the handle means and the shaft on the locking means for rotating said locking means into locking engagement with said lock-receiving member upon rotation of said handle means into carrying position, said actuating means comprising a cam member secured to the shaft of the handle means and an actuating member secured to the shaft of the locking means and bearing and actuating by said spring means into engagement with said cam member.

WALLACE H. CADWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name A Date 1,326,586 Fellroth Dec. 30, 1919 1,514,286 Hynes Nov. 4, 1924 1,859,228 Berry May 17, 1932 1,897,805 Hollerith Feb. 14, 1933 2,360,351 Kuhne Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 436,504 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1935 458,060 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1936 

